I can’t lie to you guys, when I originally started writing this column it was meant to fill space for the previous edition Feb. 15. After getting an interview for another story running in the paper that week, I scrapped the idea and said if there were space in a later edition, I would run it then.
Little did I know the next day, “it” happened, the one thing I did not see coming which fueled my desire to write this column again.
It was Tuesday before Valentine’s Day and while looking for something to write about, I came across many different viewpoints on former NBA player John Amaechi.
If you don’t know who Amaechi is, it’s not a bad thing; he didn’t have Michael Jordan, Larry Bird or LeBron James’ star power and only spent five years in the league.
But recently it’s his personal life during those five years drawing scrutiny nationwide and dividing a sport of men who are more equipped to run fast and jump high than speak intelligently on a topical issue.
Recently, Amaechi announced in his book, “Man in the Middle,” he is a gay man, which almost went undetected on the media’s radar, until someone decided to ask every NBA player, on every NBA team how they would react to having a gay teammate.
Of course, some took the easy way out and used the fashionable, “no comment,” or “I’m not sure. I’ve never been in that situation, so I can’t speak on it.”
Apparently, Philadelphia 76’ers forward Shlavlik Randolph didn’t get the memo.
Instead he felt it necessary to let the media and future teammates know as long as they don’t bring their “gayness” on him, he’ll be all right.
This coming from a guy who majored in religion at Duke.
Still, compared to what Tim Hardaway would say less than a week later, made Randolph’s comments look like a greeting card.
On a local radio show in Miami, the aforementioned Hardaway said he hates gays, gays have no place in the world and if he knew he had a gay teammate, he should not be allowed in the same locker room with the rest of the team.
Then, 10 seconds later, made a half-hearted apology to a local television station saying he didn’t mean he “hated-hated” gays, just he didn’t understand their lifestyle.
It’s amazing, not because Hardaway told the truth and proclaimed to the world he is a homophobe, but he is doing the same thing that was done to his people for hundreds of years.
At one point, blacks were considered inferior to whites athletically and intellectually, so it’s ironic someone of his stature, who has been known to give back to black youths and the community he grew up in, has said something so intolerant that equates to 100 percent racism.
He should know better. Wrong is wrong no matter what color you slap on it. And the fact Hardaway is doing it to one of his own kind makes it that much worse.
It just shows sports, although they may entertain us, still have not made enough strides to welcome those who, although able to compete, live a different lifestyle.
Unfortunately Hardaway’s comments probably run rampant in the league, but thanks to him, nobody else will say what he did for fear of being shunned by the league and possible endorsement deals.
Hardaway made another public apology from behind the gates of his mansion. Maybe players should thank him. He showed others what happens when you’re put in a cage of your own ignorance.
